Improved step-ladder



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE P. HAMMOND AND WM. A. HATHAWAY, OF NORTH KINGSTON, R. I.

IMPROVED STEP-LADDER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,288, dated June 5,1866.

To all whom t may concern.

Be it known that we, HORACE P. HAMMOND and WILLIAM A. HATHAWAY, both ofWicki'ord, in the town ofNorth Kingston and county ot' Washington andState ot' Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement inStep-Ladders; and we do hereby declare that the following,rspecification, taken in connection with the drawings makinga part ot'thesame, is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The drawing exhibits a step-ladder with our improvements.

Ordinarily the steps A and the supportingframe B ot a ladder are held inthe proper position when the ladder is to be used by means of a longhook attached to one part and entering the eye ot' astaple in the otherpart. It is often very convenient-as, for instance, in reaching a lineot' shafting in a mill when the looms are separated from each other by anarrow passageto make use of' a step-ladder which can be accommodated tothe small base which is allowed, but at the same time be secure.

In the accompanying drawings, Ais the stepframe, and B thesupporting-frame, of the stepladder as commonly constructed, jointed atC, so that the two can be folded, closed, or opened at any angle.

Our improvement consists in connecting these two frames by a link, D,which is provided with a number of notches, a a a, upon its lower edge,any one of which can lock fast with the stud-pin b. One end of this linkis pivoted to the side ot' one of the frames, and the other end isturned up, as shown at c, or provided with an equivalent stop, whichwill, in connection with the keeper d upon the other side otl the frame,limit the extent to which the two frames can be spread apart.

Itis apparent from the drawings that the two parts ot' the ladder can beheld at as many different angles with each other, and consequently thelength'ot' the baseline between the two be as often varied, as there arenotches in the link. One link so constructed will ordinarily be suf'-icient; but, it' desired, one can be attached to each side ofthe ladder,as shown in the drawlng. What we claim as our invention, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The link D, provided with a series of notches, a a a, in combinationwith the stub-pin b, or

its equivalent, and the frame ot' a step-ladder,

substantially as described, for the purpose specitied.

WILLIAM A. HATHAWAY, HORACE P. HAMMOND.

Witnesses:

JOHN D. THURsToN,

GEO. B. BARRoWs.

